Black, Like Death
by parrillad
Summary: He looks her over, gaze falling to stocking clad calves and a pair of killer black heels, and he knows this one's different. Outlaw Queen. Noir AU. Murder, Mystery and Lies, Oh My! Rated M for Mature Themes.


**Black, Like Death**

**A/N**: _I don't know why I wrote this, but I did. It was, of course, inspired by sassymajesty's outlaw queen noir au post, so credit goes to her. I just took some liberties with it. There's something about Alternate Universes and Outlaw Queen and the possibilities of both. I don't know, but let me know if it's worth continuing? Either way, I just needed to get the feels out somewhat._

**Disclaimer**: _Not mine._

* * *

He looks her over, gaze falling to stocking clad calves and a pair of killer black heels, and he knows this one's going to be different. He's not entirely sure how he knows, but he knows. Clearing his throat, Robin's brow lifts as she turns, leaning back against the edge of his desk and if he's surprised at just who he's found standing in his office, he doesn't show it. But it's not every day one get's a personal and unannounced visit from the Mayor herself. "I wasn't aware we had a meeting, Madame Mayor." He drawls his words as he circles her, moving around the desk and falling back in to his chair and she turns as he does so, watching him with a cool look in her eye and a small smirk on her lips and one finger taps against mahogany wood. "We don't."

He gestures to the chair opposite him and she ignores it, smiling at him in amusement before she tilts her head, a silent '_are you serious?_' in her eyes. Instead, she wanders casually towards the wall, reaching out to brush soft fingers over framed pictures and she speaks as she does so, back turned to him and he listens.

"I heard rumours about you, Locksley. Tales of your accomplishments, exaggerated though I'm sure they were." He watches her as she traces the picture of a young boy, floppy haired and wide eyed, and he leans back in his chair with a calculating glint in his eye. "I never miss my mark, Madame Mayor."

And she glances at him, jaw tight and eyes dark but he can see a slight curve of her lips, the barest of smiles, and his curiosity only grows. "So I've been told." They stare at each other, and he sees something flicker in her eyes that belie the rumours he's heard of her, and she looks away.

"I need you to find someone for me. It's been... ten, years - but I was told cold cases are your forte." And her gaze flickers. "Was I misinformed?" He shakes his head, she nods hers, and he reaches forward to grasp a pencil, twirling it between his fingers. "Who'm I looking for?"

When she looks at him, her hand toying with a ring clasped around her neck, it's the first time he sees tears in her eyes. "I don't know." Robin's brow furrows, confusion shining in his eyes and she composes herself, clearing her throat and turning her back on him once more, moving to stand in the middle of the room and her hand drops, arms wrapping around her waist. "Twelve years ago, my fiancé died. _Accidental_, they told me..."

"But you think otherwise?"

She looks at him, this time, with a glare. Jaw set tight and one hand curls in to her dress, forcing it to rise up her thighs and it's a testament to his honour that he doesn't look. "I _know_ it wasn't an accident. My Daniel was healthy, and careful, he was a good man... someone killed him."

His heart hurts just looking at her, the pain in her eyes, the way she holds herself together as if it's torture just talking about this man and he understands, he does. His wife was murdered just four years ago, not long after their baby boy was born and he had done everything in his power to find Marian's killer. To live with this pain, not knowing, for twelve years? He couldn't imagine it. "And you want me _to?_" He knows what she wants, but he has to make sure.

And she looks up at him, steel in her eyes and now he knows why most of Maine are terrified of her. "I want you to find this person. I don't care how, I just -" and the steel fades. "- I just, I _need_ to know." And he nods, glancing down at the notepad he'd been scribbling in without realising it, before he looks up at her again and hesitates, but she notices. "_What?_"

"I was wondering, Madame Mayor, why you waited so long?"

Her gaze averts, drifting to the light that's never quite worked properly, and he wonders if he should apology. Clearly, that was too personal a question, and he'd stepped over a line he didn't realise was there. "I -..."

"My mother, she - had these _fantasies_. This idea of the perfect family; successful husband, successful children, power and wealth and popularity and she _hated_ Daniel. We went to school together, he was on a scholarship but I - I met him before that. His mother used to work for mine, as my nanny. He may as well have been a street-rat, as far as my mother was concerned. But I didn't care. Because he was different, you know? He was _real_, and he loved me, and then he was just gone." Her voice cracks, and she has to look away, because she's Regina Mills, and she doesn't cry. Licking her lips, she sniffs softly before flicking a strand of hair from off her face and looking at him, gazes locked, and he can't look away.

"She didn't even come to his funeral. She kissed my cheek and told me '_love is weakness, Regina, move on_'. And I was so angry. Barely a year later and she's marrying me off to a man nearly three times my age with a daughter six years younger than me, because he has money and a name that I don't even use..." He thinks she finished, for she falls silent but he can't speak, not yet. And it's lucky he didn't. "Leo died six months ago. Heart failure."

And there's silence. Nothing but silence, and the scratching of his pencil on paper. When he looks up, it's to her now sitting on the sofa in the corner of his office, ankle locked behind ankle and hands folded neatly in her lap, thumbs twiddling against one another and he stares at her sympathetically before it's wiped from his face. He's never met the Mayor before now, but he's heard about her. And she's not one for pity. "That's why you waited."

Regina looks up, nodding once, stiffly. "I need to know, Locksley. I just... I need to know." And he nods, stands from his chair and circles his desk, and she stands and gods, she's tiny. The heels add height but without them, he thinks, she'd be a good few inches shorter than him. "I'm good at what I do, Madame Mayor. I'll find Daniel's killer." And when she looks at him, it's with emotion he can't quite decipher. "Don't make promises you can't keep." And he smiles at her.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

* * *

John starts as he drops a folder on the bar in front of him, leaning back against the edge with his hat tipped forward and the bigger, older man glowers at him, glass half empty in his hand and he grumbles incoherently. "Sober up. We've got a client." And John glares again, grunting as he tips the glass back and drops it to the counter, growling at the tender and watching with clouded eyes as the glass refills. "We've always got a client."

_'Well, at least he made sense this time'_, Robin thinks as he takes the glass John's lifting to his lips and passes it off to Arthur, who sits behind him. "Not like this one." It's enough to delay the inevitable swear and punch to the stomach, and Robin watches as John tries to decide what's more important. His job, or his drink. A heavy sigh falls from his lips and he tugs at the folder, flipping it open and frowning at the information, the pictures, and the name that's on the cheque. "_Fuck me_, is that?"

"The Mayor? Told you this one's different." And John reads the notes Robin made, eyes wide and head spinning and he reaches for the glass that Arthur's nearly finished and he downs the rest. Robin watches as tears sting his eyes, the alcohol no doubt burning his throat but John's always been able to hold his liquor. Today just so happens to be one of '_those_' days.

"I don't know about this, Hood." And Robin's brow furrows, his gaze falling to the note he's made before rising to meet John's, and even half-drunk, the man looks serious. "What? Why?"

"This is, this is Regina Mills we're talking about here Robin. There are reasons we don't deal with politician's often, it never ends well for us." And the folder closes, is pushed towards him and he stares at his friend, his brother in every way but blood, and Robin glares. "So? She needs my help, _our_ help. Where's your honour?"

"My honour?" John stands, toe to toe with Robin and he taller, stronger, bigger, but Robin's not scared. "I have honour Robin Locksley. I also have common sense. I'm not getting involved with the Evil Queen herself, you're on your own for this one brother." They stare at each other, silence surrounding them and some patrons are watching, have always been watching, and Arthur slides a stool away. "Fine," Robin growls, taking the Mayor's file before turning his back on John and slipping through the opening door of the bar. John sighs, falling in to his seat and flagging down another drink.

"This is a bad idea."

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**A/N:** _Not a particularly long chapter, I know. I just needed to set up some things and this is how I did so. I can't guarantee a routine update, but I do hope to continue this. If you think that's a good idea, that is. Feel free to let me know here in the reviews, or on my tumblr: parrillad. _


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